Sunday, January 15, 2006

Conan's Endorsement



A few years back the movie "Dirty Dancing" was brought back to the big screen after 20 years or so from it's early 80's release. It wasn't some Hollywood big wig's bright idea to bring it back for a 20 year anniversary or some other ploy. It was Conan O'Brien's. If I recall, O'Brien constantly promoted the movie at his own expense to generate some comedy sketch, or to kill time. Either way after a few weeks of begging on his show Late Night, paramount or who ever owns the rights to the movie, Dirty Dancing was re-released to the silver screen once again.

As soon as the news hit Conan's ears about the re-release of "Dirty Dancing" he pulled a 180 and I believe called it one of the worse movies of all time or something to that extent, but totally back stabbing the movie... It was hilarious.

People listen to him, and or his writing staff. This time Finland is listening.

"HELSINKI, Finland - Finland's president finds her traditional support among women and the Social Democratic Party base, but lately to the surprise of many Finns — and her opponents in Sunday's election — she has gotten an endorsement of a different sort.

The redheaded late-night talk show host Conan O'Brien has been promoting President Tarja Halonen's re-election bid as part of a long-running joke about their supposed physical similarities.

"Why do I support Tarja Halonen? Because she's got the total package: a dynamic personality, a quick mind, and most importantly — my good looks," the comedian, whose show is broadcast on cable in Finland, said in a statement to The Associated Press." -By KARL RITTER, Associated Press Writer

The election I believe is today in Finland. I'll post any reports from the race tomorrow to see if Conan had any pull what so ever.

The article from: Yahoo! Associated Press



Readers' List: Best acting performances by athletes
ESPN.com Page 2 report

A funny top 10 list from Farve to Andre the Giant...

"10. Andre the Giant in "The Princess Bride" (23 letters)
If you are going to include wrestlers such as The Rock, then you can't overlook the brilliant performance of Andre the Giant in "The Princess Bride."

No other person on earth could have played the gentle giant Fezzik as well as Andre did. The single best line of the film is when he says to Mandy Patinkin, "Indigo. (Yes, Fezzik) I hope we win."

Leaving him off the list? Inconceivable!
Marty
California "

The List

Video clip of the day: "Big screen version"

Friday, January 13, 2006

Damn it

I've been searching for jobs constantly over the in internet classifieds since I graduated. To be honest I don't have any coherent thought to any particular job I see and more self doubt in myself when I find a job that looks interesting. I literally don't know what to do with myself as far as looking for a job that is supposed to support me with an average income and benefits and everything else that people keep shoving down my throat as to how my life should be. I'm frustrated if not angry....

As I was searching the startribune.com's job search, I ran across a news article that had just been published a few minutes ago today (Jan 13th, 2006 @ 1:18 am).
"2004 Minnesota Teacher of the Year dies in car crash". I glanced at it at least 3 times trying comprehend in my mind as to who this was. I knew who it was. I just didn't believe it. I had never met Tom Keating, but the 2004 teacher of the year spook to us future teachers at St. Cloud State University only last Nov. during a student teacher conference. He was our keynote speaker, and a damn good one. Keating taught at Turning Point, a school for "at risk students" in the Monticello area. I'll never forget what he said to us at the teacher conference. "Make that connection with the student", referring to how you can build trust and respect from a student by simply trying to get to know them. It sounds like the easiest thing in the world to do, and it is, but how often do people take the time to ask you how your day was, or what your family is up too... If you can build that connection with a student you have more of an opportunity to plug into that student to help them learn. That lesson I believe applies to everyday life. Take the time with your own family, friends, friends you haven't talked too in a while, co-workers, etc... To build those connections, get to know somebody. That's the kind of guy I believe he was from his speech. He believed in people. He took the time to get to know that "at risk" student who was labeled and then got to know who the real person who was behind that label. He was a motivating force, who I could tell enjoyed what he was doing in life, at that was teaching, and above all living life to its fullest by making sure other peoples lives around him where as great as his.

I'm saddened by a loss of such a great person, and my heart goes out to his family and everyone else out there he inspired. It makes me angry that we have to loose such a good guy, and I can't really make much sense out of it now. What I can do now is live for today. Make it the best day I can with what means I have while taking the time for the people in my life and maybe get to know them a bit better.

The article from the Startribune.com

Thursday, January 12, 2006

Your college is not a technical school


I found a great article about college, and those "ideals" you cherish as to life after college. A must read for future and current college grads.

"Your college is not a technical school" -Ramit

Movie Review: Transporter 2



If life were a video game... you would assume that everything in the movie "Transporter 2" was real. In reality, Transporter 2 is a great action packed movie that delivers stunts that defy all rational thought on physics and or of Gods own earthly creations.

I don't feel like writing the synopsis of the story, so I took it from an earlier movie review.

"In The Transporter 2, a group of kidnappers are interested in what Frank Martin (Jason Statham) is transporting: Jack Billings (Hunter Clary in his debut role), the six-years old son of the head of the United States Narcotics Agency. Jack is kidnapped and injected with a virus that is intended to infect Jack’s father, Mr. Billings (Matthew Modine), as well as the attendees of an important conference in Miami, Florida. Whoever comes into contact with the little boy would die within hours.

The kidnappers are lead by the Italian villain Gianni (Alessandro Gassman, son of the legendary Vittorio Gassman), and his minimally clothed girlfriend Lola (Kate Nauta), who wears mountain-high heels shoes, very thick mascara, and shoots two huge guns.

Frank becomes an immediate suspect of the child’s kidnapping. Driven by the promise not to let anyone hurt Jack and by the desire to clear his name, Frank decides to conduct his own investigation and fight the kidnappers. Only two people believe in Frank’s innocence: his French buddy Tarconi (Francoise Berleand) who is detained at the police station shortly after his arrival from France to Miami, and Audrey Billings (Amber Valletta), Mr. Billings’ neglected wife. " -By Ester Molayeme
Special to the Epoch Times.

If you have seen the movie "Man on Fire" with Denzel Washington, with a similar story line of a guardian who has his child who he is protecting kidnapped, who then goes out to find the missing child and smite revenge on those who created the fiasco, then you mightdisappointednted with story the moves through Transporter 2 in comparison. If you take Transporter 2 for what it is and nothing more then a highly intense action film, that delivers all of the goods plus more cake then you could ever swallow. You will walk away impressed. The story moves fast enough to bring through to the next creative fight or driving sequence. 3 out of 4 stars in my book.

Monday, January 09, 2006

13 ft of snow

Video from Japan where they have 13 + feet of snow - Video

Added links:

Doug's Blog: I work with Doug, we talk about different things, but this blog mainly pertains to politics.

Black Marks on Wooden Pulp: I used to work with Cdub, I can't remember what we talked about during our tenure at funcoland, but I'm sure it was interesting, just like his blog.

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

Letterman to O’Reilly: 60% of what you say is crap

"In arguably one of the angriest (and possibly most notable) moments of David Letterman’s television career — during a heated exchange with guest Bill O’Reilly on Tuesday’s Late Show — Letterman let rip on the Iraq War:" -hammer of truth.com



Video: Windows format